Blocked at the entrance of the village.

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Tian Yi, seeing Zhao Liang in such distress, nudged Jiang Ran with his chin. Jiang Ran understood immediately and stepped forward, patting Zhao Liang on the shoulder.

Before Jiang Ran could speak, Zhao Liang asked, “Mr. Jiang, do you think my parents are still alive?”

“Xiao Liang, I believe your parents are definitely still alive.”

“Without a father, whom can I rely on? Without a mother, where is my comfort? When I leave, I bear sorrow; when I return, there is no one to greet me.” Zhao Liang recited lines of poetry Jiang Ran had taught him, the sorrow in his voice unmistakable.

“Xiao Liang, don’t lose heart. Perhaps your parents are looking at you right now, under the same starry sky! Don’t forget, I also taught you: ‘When Heaven is about to bestow a great responsibility on someone, it first tests his resolve, exhausts his body, makes him suffer hunger and poverty, and frustrates his endeavors, so as to strengthen his spirit and develop his endurance and abilities,’” Jiang Ran comforted him.

“Sigh, I’m just an ordinary person. What great responsibility could Heaven possibly bestow on me?” Zhao Liang replied, dejected.

“All right, it’s getting late and the night air is cool. Go inside and rest early, or you’ll catch a chill.” Seeing that Zhao Liang could not be consoled for now, Jiang Ran urged him to sleep, lest his worries become an illness.

Only then did Zhao Liang, heavy-hearted, go inside.

“Sigh!”

Watching Zhao Liang’s departing figure, Tian Yi and Jiang Ran sighed in unison.

Jimo City, in front of the prison.

Sun Wu, the jailer, admonished Tian Er and the other two men, “You three brats, when you go home, don’t get up to your thieving tricks again. If you end up back here, I’ll break your legs myself.”

Tian Er and the two released ruffians bowed low, their voices full of obsequiousness. “No, never! We won’t let you down, Master Sun. We’ll turn over a new leaf, we swear!”

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“That’s best. Now hurry back to your families!” With a wave of his sleeve, Master Sun dismissed them, and the three men, as if granted amnesty, hurried from the prison toward the city gate.

At the city gate of Jimo, Tian Er and the two freshly released ruffians huddled together, whispering conspiratorially.

“Tian Er, that Zhao Liang you mentioned—are you sure that jade pendant of his is really that valuable?” asked a man with a rat-like face and a large black mole on his left cheek.

“Rat, you still don’t believe me? Fine jade is worth a fortune. That Zhao Liang’s pendant is of good quality—worth at least dozens of gold pieces. Black Ox, once the three of us get our hands on it, we’ll live the good life for years!” Tian Er finished with a few dry chuckles.

“All right! Let’s do it. Afterward, I’ll head to Linzi and find myself a few pretty women for some fun, hahaha...” added Black Ox, a burly, broad-shouldered man with slanted, sinister eyes, laughing lasciviously.

Time is a universal healer; all wounds of the heart fade with its passing, especially for a boy barely in his teens.

A month went by, and Zhao Liang gradually emerged from the grief of Xiaobai’s departure, his cheerful, playful demeanor returning.

One day, carrying a bamboo basket on his back, Zhao Liang went into the mountains to hunt alone. As the sun began to set, he slung his day’s catch over his shoulder and made his way back down the path to Tian Family Village, humming to himself.

Two or three miles from the village, three burly men suddenly leapt out from behind a shadowy boulder.

Startled, Zhao Liang looked closely and saw that the leader was none other than Tian Er. The three men glared at him with fierce, murderous intent.

Zhao Liang, quick-witted and shrewd, immediately realized Tian Er had brought men to settle a score.

This place was far from the village and the night was falling; no one would pass by. Even if he called for help, it would be futile.

Alone and defenseless, Zhao Liang knew he could only stall for time and try to outwit them.

“Well, if it isn’t Brother Tian Er! When did you get back? I’ve been thinking about you these past days!” Zhao Liang feigned delight, putting on a face of surprise and joy.

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“Cut the crap! I wouldn’t have been locked up if not for you. Today, I’m going to break a few of your bones to vent my rage. Rat, Black Ox, grab him! Beat him within an inch of his life!” Tian Er barked, unmoved by Zhao Liang’s act and intent on violence.

Seeing this tactic had failed, Zhao Liang swiftly tried another. He waved over Tian Er’s shoulder and shouted loudly, “Uncle Tian Yi, I’m here! Come save me!”

Startled, the three men turned, thinking someone really was behind them. But all was silent and empty—the night air undisturbed. When they turned back, Zhao Liang had already darted off like an arrow, putting four or five lengths between them.

Swearing, the three ruffians gave chase.

A head start is everything. Taking advantage of their momentary confusion, Zhao Liang had gained a good lead and now ran headlong up the mountain, swift as a wild horse, unstoppable as a torrent.

At first, Tian Er and his cronies could barely keep up, but after more than a mile, they were gasping for breath and stumbling.

No surprise there—Zhao Liang was a boy in his prime, full of youthful vigor, and accustomed to climbing mountains daily for woodcutting and hunting. His strength and stamina were formidable.

Tian Er and his two idle, gluttonous companions were no match. The initial gap of a few yards only widened as they ran; by the time they’d covered over two miles, they had fallen a dozen lengths behind Zhao Liang.

Zhao Liang kept running, breathless but unharmed. The three pursuers, however, were utterly exhausted, drenched in sweat.

Black Ox was the first to stop, hands on his knees, panting, “I’m… exhausted… I can’t run anymore…”

Tian Er and Rat collapsed on the ground, gasping, “That… brat… can really run… Let’s… rest for a bit… before we chase him…”